Stage One / Stage Two / Stage Three / Stage Four
This stage includes the final logistical bits that need to be completed before you can begin mentoring on your chosen mentoring project.
The below steps do not require any specific action from you, but it’s good for you to be aware of what happens next so that you can ensure you have completed everything on your end.
Remember, you can download your Volunteer Journey Checklist here to keep track of where you are in the process.
Please bookmark the Mentor Information Pack so that you can refer back to it every time you need a reminder of topics discussed in your mentor training!
Receiving your DBS in the post
If you have not received your DBS in the post after two weeks of your application being submitted, please get in touch with us at volunteer@reachoutuk.org. We can then have a look into the status of your application for you.
On average a DBS takes 1-2 weeks to be processed and received in the post, however it can take longer depending on the backlog at your local police station.
Please note: If you did not have all of the correct documents at your 1.1 meeting, the ReachOut team will not have been able to submit your application. If this is the case, please remember to either A) re-book your 1.1 meeting or B) E-mail the relevant ID document over to us.
Confirming your space on a Project
If you can no longer commit to the project that you have been assigned, whether you have been made active, are provisionally enrolled or are on the waiting list, please let us know as soon as possible at volunteer@reachoutuk.org. We can then try to move you to another project or withdraw you from programme for this year.
Once you have completed all of the steps in stage 1-3
of the Volunteer Journey and have received your DBS certificate we will be able to confirm your space on your project. This confirmation should occur 3-4 weeks ahead of your start date.
Please note that spaces are confirmed on a first come first served basis, so the quicker it takes you to complete all of your admin, the more likely it is that you will have your space confirmed. You might have to stay on the waiting list, if the project you have chosen is already full. There is still a good chance that you will gain a space on your project at some point during the year as other mentors drop out or new mentees are added to the group!
We strongly encourage you to attend the first mentoring session as this is where you will get introduced to all of the young people and get to know them. If you can’t attend though, don’t worry – as long as you are committed to attending the other sessions you will still be able to mentor on that project.
Starting Mentoring
You should hear from your Project Leader at some point in the week leading up to the start date of the project. They will introduce themselves and give you all the information that you will need before you begin mentoring. If you still have not been contacted the day before your session, please e-mail at volunteer@reachoutuk.org.
You don’t need to prepare anything ahead of your first session. Your Project Leader will get in contact with you ahead of the start date and introduce themselves. They will then also provide you with all the information that you will need about your specific project.
Your Project Leader will get in touch with you in the week leading up to your first session. They will introduce themselves and give you all the information that you will need before you begin mentoring.
The best person to get in contact with once you have started mentoring is your Project Leader. They will be able to answer any questions or queries that you have about the project.
For more general questions such as about changing projects, withdrawing from mentoring, volunteer expenses, volunteer socials, Thank You events etc. you can contact the Volunteer team at volunteer@reachoutuk.org.
Sometimes mentoring sessions can be cancelled. This can occur for a range of reasons and in some rare cases can happen on the day of the session. You will typically be contacted via e-mail to let you know – so please do remember to check your e-mails on the day of your session!
If a session is cancelled, we will add another session to the end of your project where possible, extending the date of your final session. This means that you will still be able to attend the same number of total sessions.
We don’t have an official dress code, we just ask that you wear clothes that would be appropriate to wear in a school environment. Please don’t wear any crop tops, ripped jeans or clothing that features inappropriate language, as you may be asked to leave the session.
Yes! You are allowed a total of £6 per day for travelling to and from your mentoring project. Please note that due to policy we are only able to reimburse public transport (such as bus, train, tram etc) or mileage if you drive, but we are not able to reimburse Ubers or taxis.
To request reimbursement for your travel costs, you must keep all your receipts from your journeys. Remember: no receipt, no payment!
When you have gathered your receipts and are ready to ask for reimbursement, please contact the Volunteer Team and they will send you a form across to fill in. Some mentors request travel reimbursement once every term, whereas some others do it all in one go once their project is fully over. You can choose which option works best for you.
We expect a minimum of 80% attendance from all of our mentors – this is due to the long-term nature of our mentoring projects, and frequent absences from mentors can have negative effects on our young people and their progress.
That being said, we understand that things happen! If you are unable to attend a session, please alert your Project Leader as soon as possible so that they can factor that into their planning for the session. However, please do try to minimise absences wherever possible.
If you’re having any trouble with this stage of your Volunteer Journey, or if you have any other questions, please contact the Volunteer Team:
Email: volunteer@reachoutuk.org
Alice McGILL
Sia Kampouri
“Hello, we’re Alice and Sia, ReachOut’s Volunteer Officers. Our role at ReachOut is to support you throughout your time as a volunteer mentor. Volunteering as a mentor to a young person is a fantastic way to make a difference and give back to your community, and you’ll be part of our brilliant community of volunteers. If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to get in touch!”
“Before ReachOut I wasn’t very confident but now I can see the bright side of myself and I know that I can actually be confident. This makes me feel amazing.”
Year 6 Mentee
“At first, I was really hesitant to take on the Project Leader role, despite having mentored with ReachOut. However, with the support of the team I’ve really developed my skills. For example, at the Mentee Graduation, I stood up in front of 200 people and presented an award which is something I would never ever have been able to have done before, and isn’t an opportunity I could gain in my other situations.”
Amy McCutcheon, Project Leader at ReachOut Academy, Dean Trust Ardwick, Manchester.
“Being able to spend the summer working at Rede Partners, was an amazing experience. Whether it was working in HR or Finance, I learned so much about the world of private equity, made great connections with fantastic people and I got to learn first-hand what it would be like to work there! I really believe that I can go onto build the career I want now I’ve been a part for a workplace for real”
Victor Adekunle, 18 years old, ReachOut Ambassador, London
“When I first my mentee, she was very reluctant to participate in the sessions. Now, I see a completely different person! Her confidence has grown and she is happy to join in! She still has some self-doubt when it comes to academic work, but that’s what I hope to help her overcome, because she is a very bright person!
Through mentoring, I’ve learnt I’m a lot more patient than I realised. There will be days where she refuses to participate and those are the days that I really see the importance of the character strengths, for both the mentees and the mentors. It also makes it easier for the mentee to understand the character strengths, when I use them myself”
Myrtle, ReachOut Club mentor at Tufnell Primary School, London
“There are more distractions than ever outside of school, and the commitment of our students to attend ReachOut sessions is testament to the value they place on the relationships they foster there, and the challenge and enjoyment they provide.
ReachOut’s focus on communication skills and character development has become an important aspect of our provision of support for these students. The opportunity to relate to a positive role- model other than their usual teachers is key to the programme’s impact, and the evidence of this has been seen in the students’ attendance, resilience and to their overall progress across all the subjects in the school.”
Thomas Janvrin, Assistant Vice Principal at the Petchey Academy London
